My Story

Crystal Karges is a Registered Dietitian (RD) Nutritionist based in San Diego, California.

Hi, I'm Crystal!

I'm a mama, dietitian, lover of nature, beach walks, lived-in kitchens, and family meals that bring us together. This is my story.

Good nutrition has the power to transform everyone’s life. I know, because it has transformed mine. I’ve overcome a chaotic relationship with food and a long battle with anorexia; I was told I may never become pregnant and then suffered through postpartum depression after I did. I understand what it’s like to struggle and the shame and vulnerability that comes with it. I also understand what it’s like to be overwhelmed as a working mother of four; trying to take care of yourself while taking care of your family. You are not alone, because I understand your pain.

I developed anorexia when I was 17. Throughout my senior year of high school and into my years in college, I struggled with eating disorder behaviors and an overall chaotic relationship with food and body. It was during my time in college when I became overwhelmed with understanding my purpose in life and who I was, both personally and professionally. I was desperate from barely surviving day to day, feeling lost whenever I thought about who I was as a person and what I wanted to pursue in life. I yearned for peace, healing, and to find the nurturing power of food, which led me to realize my interest in health and nutrition. Halfway through my college studies, I began my pursuit of becoming a dietitian, while simultaneously working toward healing myself physically and emotionally from my eating disorder.

My sophomore year, I met the man who would become my husband - he was my Organic Chemistry laboratory partner (so nerdy, but so true!). I was lucky to meet Scott, who’s the love of my life and a huge part of my support and healing. We married in 2008 and started our life together in San Diego. Because of my health issues, I was told that I may never become pregnant. As I was working in a clinical hospital setting, completing graduate coursework, and finishing my dietetic internship, I became pregnant with our first daughter, Celeste, at the age of 24, our second, Amelia at 26, and our third, Madeleine, at 28.

With each new child, balancing my work, career, and home life became more difficult than I imagined. I was determined to continue pursuing my career as a dietitian but was overwhelmed with juggling all of my responsibilities, and each pregnancy introduced new issues. I encountered trouble with breastfeeding while nursing my first child, which later inspired me to also pursue the route of becoming a Lactation Consultant. I dealt with postpartum depression after my second and third daughters’ births, though was not officially diagnosed until after my third daughter was born. With three girls so close in age, being a young, working mother was increasingly difficult. I eventually learned to maintain my recovery from my eating disorder and PPD with proactively nourishing my body, developing creative outlets, seeking professional help and passionately pursuing hobbies that fulfilled me. When I became pregnant with our fourth child, our son John, at age 30, I had learned so much from my three previous pregnancies that helped me mindfully approach my last pregnancy.

During my various jobs as an RD and Lactation Consultant, I realized that while I enjoyed clinical work and found it a great learning experience, I disliked how little time we were allotted for each of our patients. I also continued to draw from my experiences, regarding how important basic self-care was for staying well as a working mother. Bringing children into the world and becoming a mother myself made me realize how overwhelmed and confused parents feel when it comes to feeding their own children. Fostering a healthy relationship with food begins in infancy and is nourished through childhood; though family dinners and teaching children how to cook seems to become more scarce. I launched my private practice with the desire to inspire parents to think differently about food and nutrition not only for their children but for themselves. Trust me: a balanced, nourished life is possible, no matter what your past or what you struggle with.

Let’s live nourished together,

Crystal Karges

CERTIFICATIONS & CREDENTIALS

Master of Science in Nutritional Sciences (MS), University of Saint Joseph's

Bachelor of Science in Dietetics (BS), Point Loma Nazarene University

Lactation Consultant Certification Program, University of California, San Diego

Dietetic Internship, Utah State University

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist (RDN), #1057601

International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC),#L-48564

Certified Intuitive Eating Counselor

Certified Eating Disorder Registered Dietitian (CEDRD) - In Progress

Ellyn Satter Institute Affiliate - In Progress

Good nutrition has the power to change your life.Make a commitment to yourself.